Choices at Christmas Time
by trycee
Summary: Mulder has a broken foot and Scully is stuck at her mother's home trying to help her family with Christmas instead of spending their first Christmas together in each other's arms. How will they make this work? Written for the Nursery Files- "First Christmas With You" Challenge.
1. Chapter 1

**Choices at Christmas**

**by**

**Trycee**

**Time-Line: Alternative Universe, Season 7, Christmas Eve: Scully Residence**

**Disclaimer: I do not own the X-Files. I write this for fun, not profit.**

****Written for the Nursery Files- "First Christmas With You"-Challenge**

Scully was flustered. The usually in control, Agent Dana Scully, was frazzled. She was surrounded by several dozen undecorated cookies as she tried to keep an eye on the timer in her mother's kitchen, while her two eldest nephews who came up to her waist chased the newly toddling and unsteady Matthew through the kitchen knocking into her on occasion, setting her nerves on the edge. She was trying to stay calm and concentrate as she gripped the side of the counter as she listened to Matthew squealed at the top of his lungs, while Bill and Charles argued over naval tactics in the other room, oblivious to their children and all she could do was keep from bursting at the seams. It was too soon, too raw, her emotions, being here at Christmas with them. Without both of them.

A hand reached out and touched her on her back. "You alright sis?"

She nodded without looking up. "Yeah, Bill, I'm fine,", she said, quickly wiping away the tears that had pooled at the base of her blue eyes.

"What is it?", he said, concerned.

She smiled then. As much as she and Bill fought, she did love his over protectiveness and she knew that he loved her.

"It's Emily," she whispered and then glanced up at him, to gauge his reaction.

His eyes widened and he coughed but nodded and then pulled his baby sister into his arms. "I'm sorry," he said. "I guess hearing the kids playing..."

"It's fine," she said, pulling away. "I didn't mean to do this..."

Bill shook his head. "Dana," he said, touching her shoulder so she would look up at him. "We're family. If you can't express yourself with us, who can you express yourself with..."

Scully stared at him and Bill could see the changes in her eyes and he knew who she was thinking of.

"Speaking of the devil," as his voice became gruff and his demeanor changed. "Has your partner called for the umpteenth time today?"

"Bill!", she said. "He broke his foot."

"Doing something stupid, I'm sure!", he huffed.

"No, as a matter of fact, he was attacked when a suspect tackled him and took a baseball bat to his foot."

Bill listened to her explanation but said nothing.

"Mulder is sitting there all alone on Christmas Eve! He just wants to talk, that's all!"

"That's not it!", he said, as his eyes narrowed.

Scully puffed out her chest and crossed her arms defensively, ready for a fight. "Then what? What is it then?"

"You know why!"

"No, you tell me!"

"Oh Come ON," Bill scoffed. "Everyone knows, Dana, we're not stupid. You've been in love with him for years..."

Scully's head bowed down as she listened to her brother, her hands gripping the table hard.

"He's a BIG BABY! He can't be on his own for one minute! Every holiday he calls like fifty times."

Scully rolled her eyes at his exaggeration, though not by much.

"He'd probably wither up and die without you!"

She smiled at that but then hid her smile and lifted her head up towards her brother. Glaring, she snarled. "Are you done? Any more? Or will I hear about it the rest of the holiday?"

Bill shook his head as he looked down at his younger sister. "I'm surprised he didn't drag himself here just to interrupt my Christmas!"

Fuming, Scully stood on her tip-toes and stepped up to him, her finger pointed in his face.

"Interrupt what Christmas?", Maggie Scully asked as she brought in groceries, her face blistered from the cold December wind as she began unbuttoning her coat.

Scully turned towards their mother. "He's talking about Mulder and my relationship!"

Maggie smirked, a wide smile spreading across her face. "The one that we're not supposed to know exists or the one you're finally going to admit to us exists?"

Bill and Maggie turned towards Scully, waiting on her to answer.

"FINE!", Scully said, throwing up her hands. "It exists!", she said and then turned to her brother. "There, Bill, you happy! Mulder and I are a couple! So, shut up about him!", she said, pointing her finger, her eyes blazing.

Bill looked down at his baby sister. "I need a drink!," he said, scampering off.

"It's only noon, Bill!", Maggie called out after him

"SO," Maggie said, turning her attention back towards Dana. "How long?"

Scully's eyes widened as she looked at her mother. "Mom, I was going to tell you but Mulder and I thought it was best to keep it a secret for awhile."

"Dana," Maggie said. "I've known you two were in love for a very long time. I'm just glad it finally happened. It hurt me to see you so miserable all those years."

Maggie glanced out into the living room. "So where is Fox anyway?"

"He's at home."

Maggie looked confused. "He does know that I invite him every year..."

"He broke his foot when a suspect attacked him. He wanted to come. As a matter of fact, the poinsettias are from him," Scully said, pointing towards the fireplace where a large plant with beautiful bright red leaves and dark green leaves dotted with gold clusters gave the family living room a more festive feel.

Maggie smiled. She had always loved Poinsettia's. "Those are lovely.," but then her bright smile shifted and suddenly fell."But, why isn't Fox here? He can't recuperate here?"

Scully sighed. "He didn't want to be a bother to anyone mom. I left him with plenty of food, plenty of his medicine and everything he could possibly need," she said, trying to convince herself as well as her mother.

Maggie shook her head. "I don't like this! When you're here your mind is on him! With Fox not here, broken foot or not, I know how this is going to go!," she sighed as Scully watched her head off towards the front door, to hang up her coat.

Scully stood there a second. Her mother had been right. Her mind was not on the beautifully 8 ft tall tree that stood decorated just as her father, Ahab, would've wanted. Her mind wasn't on the kids that were racing around her and how big they'd grown, or her brother's and their wives who were finally given a break by Aunt Dana to go last minute shopping on Xmas Eve. It was on her daughter whom she met and lost two Christmas' before and on the first Christmas she wish she could be spending with Mulder, but couldn't.

The telephone rang and Scully grabbed it from the tither on the wall and answered. "Scully residence."

"I'm looking for one Scully," Mulder's melodic masculine voice rang out, as he tried to hide the slight wince from pain.

"Mulder," she said, closing her eyes, trying to picture him on her bed.

She pictured her half of the bed now covered with plates full of food from his attempts at hopping to her kitchen to make sandwiches. He'd probably spilled a cup of something that was now permanently stained in her bed covering, and all of the pillows were now positioned behind his head and under his leg to prop up his foot.

"How are you?", he said, strained.

"Shouldn't I be asking you that?", she said, as Matthew ran straight into her legs causing her to tumble back. She glanced down at the little red headed boy with a chocolate smeared smile on his lips and bright blue eyes. She smiled back at him just as his cousins snatched him away. "Don't be rough with him!", she called out.

"Sounds like a madhouse," he said, his voice low.

"Mulder, I'm worried about you," she sighed. "How can I enjoy Christmas, knowing you're in pain."

"Scully! This is you're family. You only get to see them once a year, maybe twice a year. We see each other nearly everyday. I can take care of myself. I'm a big boy. I know that's hard for you to hear, but I can take care of myself."

Scully chuckled but his joke stung a little too. She was being torn apart from him. This was their first Christmas together as a couple. "I miss you," she whispered.

"I miss you too...and not just for your doctoring skills," he said.

Scully blushed. "Mulder, you sure, you're okay? You sure you don't want to come here? My mom was disappointed that you weren't here. It's only an hour away. I could come and get you and be back..."

"NO, Scully. We talked about this!," he said, sliding his hand under his leg and lifting his foot up off the bed. "I'm fine. Besides, this isn't my holiday, remember?", he said, straining.

"I know," she said, with her head lowered.

"Although, there's SNL reruns of Hanukkah Harry on!"

She smiled to herself. "I just wish that you were here with me too. You're sitting there in pain and there's no way I can enjoy myself knowing that, Mulder."

Mulder adjusted his leg so his foot was dangling in the air granting his foot relief from the pain that was engulfing his entire body. "Scully, promise me, you'll spend that time with you're family."

"Mulder!"

"Scully!", he said, firmly. "I'll be alright!"

She sighed loudly. "I love you!"

"I LUV YOU!", Charles screamed in the back of her ear. She turned and then elbowed her youngest brother right in the stomach.

"Ouch!", he said, giggling. "I LUV YOU MULDER!"

She rolled her eyes. "I've got to go. That was Charles."

Mulder listened with a smile as Scully threatened her slightly taller but younger brother as he attempted to snatch the phone out of her hand. "I've...got...to call...you back...later," she struggled as they wrestled each other.

"Love you, Scully."

She quickly hung up. "CHARLES!", she screamed. "Act you're age!"

"I am!", he said, punching her in the arm.

She raised an eyebrow and punched him back. "Keep it up and I'll tell you're wife!"

He smiled at her. "You think you're so tough cause you're an FBI Agent, but I'm a Naval Officer, you don't scare me, Sis!"

She looked at the red headed man who looked similar to herself with a wide face and blue eyes and they both burst into giggles. Charles had been the closest sibling and they'd spent several years thick as thieves. They were only a year apart in age and he often looked to his older sister, Dana for protection against Bill. But the older they got, the more Charles began to hang around Bill, trying to prove he was "Man enough" or "One of the Boys" and she had tried gravitating towards Missy but because of the age difference between them, she had clung to their father, Ahab instead. But with Charles, there were times when the memories of their closeness in their younger years would surface and they would erupt like children teasing and hitting each other as if the years had melted away.

"How's the baking coming?", Charles said, looking concerned.

"Good," she said, glancing around at the mess. "It's coming along."

"Why didn't you go shopping with the girls?," he said, referring to his wife, Jill and Bill's wife, Tara.

"I was trying to give mom a hand with these cookies," she said, dusting herself off and removing several pans from the stove and stacking them crisscross to cool. "Wanna help?"

Charles shook his head. "The only time I'm in the kitchen is to grab a beer."

Scully rolled her eyes. "Of course...this is woman's work."

"That's what dad said," Bill said, entering the kitchen, as Junior and Patrick paused long enough to snatch a cookie before whipping around adult legs chasing after baby Matthew. The siblings smiled as they watched them.

"They're having the time of their lives," Bill said.

"I remember being chased as a kid but it didn't look like that," Dana said, glancing nervously up at Bill.

"No, it didn't look like that!", Charles agreed.

Bill smiled a devilish smile. "You never out grow being an older brother!"

Dana and Charles stepped back from him, there's eyes wide as he chuckled.

"Dana, do you need help with the cookies?", Maggie's voice rang out and the siblings scattered.

"Yes, mom!", Scully said, as she began to stir another batch of cookies.

"Don't forget we have Evening Mass tonight!", Maggie yelled out to her children. She washed her hands and began loading the cookie tins with freshly baked cookies for the church.

"As soon as Tara and Jill come back, we need to start on dinner, so we can go for Evening Mass. I don't want to be out at Midnight. I'm too old to stay awake."

Scully smiled. "I think I'm too old too."

Maggie waved her off. "You're in the prime of your youth."

The kitchen phone rang again. "Scully residence!", Scully answered.

"Hey, Scully," Mulder said with a slurred speech.

"Mulder!", she said, alarmed. "Are you okay?"

"Yeah," he said. "I took my medicine."

"Did you eat, Mulder?"

"I was thinking about you...", he said, as his eyes began to close.

"Mulder, did you eat? Answer me, Mulder!"

"YES, Scully, I ate a PMG...I mean, a PBJ sandwich. This medicine is pretty strong."

"I know it is," she said, alarmed as her neck tensed. "That's why I told you to take it on a full stomach."

"I did," he said. "Scout's honor."

"Okay," she said, as she tried to relax. "What were you thinking?"

There was a silence on the other end.

"Mulder?"

"I was thinking about how I miss kissing you."

Scully could feel her mother watching her as she blushed. "I miss that too."

"I miss you taking care of me, Scully."

"Mulder...," she sighed. "Maybe I should..."

"NO!," he sighed. "I'm going to get off the phone...I'm falling asleep!"

Her arms were crossed as she leaned into the phone, a smile on her lips as she pictured him passed out on her bed. She swung her arms back and forth like a schoolgirl as she spoke into the phone. "I love you, Mulder."

"Love you...Scully."

And then the phone went dead.

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	2. Chapter 2

**Choices at Christmas**

**Part 2**

**by**

**Trycee**

**Time-Line: Alternative Universe, Season 7, Christmas Eve: Scully Residence**

**Disclaimer: I do not own the X-Files. I write this for fun, not profit.**

****Written for the Nursery Files- "First Christmas With You"-Challenge**

She turned towards her mother, she could see the worry lines creased in her forehead. "He's sleeping. His pain meds finally kicked in."

"Are you sure he should be left alone?", Maggie said, anxiously.

"I'm sure," Scully nodded. "Besides, we have a whole bunch of kids expecting cookies at St. Matthew's."

"Yes, it's a home-coming tonight for Father McCue after serving at St. John's in Alexandria," Maggie said.

"I wish I would've gone more," she said, regretfully. "He kept asking me to come back and I did as much as I could but sometimes my work would get in the way and other times..."

"You were too tired for Mass?", Maggie said, raising her eyebrows.

"No," Scully said, as she worked to remove the last of the cookie trays from the oven. "I would frequent St. Mary's closer to home. Alexandria is where Mulder lives but he's never there because he spends all his time at my...," she stopped mid-sentenced as the blood rushed to her cheeks coloring her neck and entire face matching her hair. She turned around to face her mother.

Maggie shifted from one foot to other, clearly uncomfortable by the slip though she wasn't surprised but she did her best to try and bite back her smile. "You're grown! I'll pretend I didn't hear that!"

"Good!", Scully said with wide eyes. "I'll pretend I didn't say anything," she said, defensively.

"Good!", Maggie said. "Let's just get this kitchen cleaned up!"

"Alright!," Scully said, turning her back from her mother and closing her eyes, inwardly cursing herself.

Jill and Tara walked in the front door and Scully could hear the joyful screams of her nephews as their mother's greeted them. She was relieved that they had returned.

"Hey, Dana, I hope they weren't too much trouble," Jill said, rubbing the heads of Patrick and Junior.

"No, no," Scully said, pushing away her apron and rubbing the bruise on her stomach from the head on collisions as they ran into her racing through the kitchen. "No trouble at all," she smiled.

Matthew was immediately asleep in his mother's arms. "I'm gonna put him to bed," Tara said, marching up the steps to the upstairs bedrooms..

Scully sat down a minute, chatting with Jill until Tara returned to sit next to her husband Bill who was glued to the TV. Charles too was ignoring his wife and sister as the women sat on the sofa pulling out gifts to slip under the Christmas tree.

"So where's Mulder?", Tara asked, looking at the smudges of flour on a Dana's cheek and wiping it away.

"I thought for sure you'd bring Mulder!", Jill said.

Bill growled loudly and Tara rolled her eyes in his direction. "Oh hush, Bill. No one's talking to you."

"He broke his foot," Charles answered.

"Actually, we had a suspect that used a bat and attacked him. Fortunately, that was the only damage. We sometimes spend a lot of time in the hospital."

Jill and Tara looked at each other. "We have gifts for him. We'll send you home with the gifts for him then."

"I'm sure he'll like that," Scully smiled.

Her cellphone rang. "Speaking of the devil," Bill scoffed.

"Mulder? I thought you said, the medicine was kicking in?"

"I guess it wasn't strong enough. I slept about...what?"

"About a half an hour since I last spoke to you," she sighed. "I was sure I wrote the right dosage."

Scully was aware of all eyes on her as she talked to Mulder on the phone. "What are you doing now?"

"I thought I'd hop into the little girls and boys room," he said, sliding his left foot to the floor and wincing from the contact it made with the carpeted floor.

He grabbed the crutches next to the bed and tried to balance his cellphone against his head. "Scully?"

"Hmm?"

"Can I call you back in a few minutes?"

"Sure," she said. "Be careful, okay," she said, in a syrupy sweet voice that she reserved solely for him.

Charles pretended to gag while Bill looked disgusted. Tara and Jill both sported grins as they watched with fascination.

Scully avoided their eyes and looked at her nephews who were playing on the floor as she waited for him to call back. The phone's ring broke the silence in the room and she was aware that her family were all staring at her. "Mulder?"

"Hey Scully. I'm not disturbing you, am I?"

She stared back. "Nope, you're not disturbing me."

"So, what are you doing," he said, swinging his leg back onto the bed, leaning back against the headboard as he strained to lift his left up onto the pillows.

Scully overheard his moans as he repositioned himself in the bed. "Are you okay?"

"I'm good. What about, you? Drinking eggnog and being jolly?"

"We're about to start dinner and then go to Evening Mass. Father McCue will be there."

"That sounds good," he said, sleepily.

"I want you to rest as much as possible," she said, ignoring her family.

"Okay, Scully," he said, as his eyes began to roll in the back of his head. "Merry Christmas, Scully."

"You too," she sighed and listened as he clicked off.

"Awl, he doesn't sound so good," Tara stated.

"I know," Scully sighed, loudly. "It's hard...," and then she grew silent.

"No, don't be silly," Jill encouraged. "We understand. You miss him. What Christmas haven't you spent worried and missing your partner?"

"You mean while he was off chasing after little green men!", Bill huffed. "Or trying to get you killed or keeping you away from your family!"

"Bill!", Tara said.

"Shut up Bill!", Scully hissed. "Mulder is in excruciating pain right now but he is insisting that I be here. It's important to him that I'm here since we don't see each other often. And I'm..."

"Torn?", Jill said, smoothing her hand over Scully's arm. Her sister-n-law was younger than her but having married Charles straight out of high school, she seemed so much older.

"Yes, I'm torn. I miss him!", she said, looking down at her hands.

"Awl, we know that," Tara smiled. "It's written all over your face. It's like you can't function without you're other half. I know how that feels."

Scully smiled at Tara and then frowned at her brother Bill who rolled his eyes in her direction.

"Maybe then, tomorrow afternoon, you could cut out early?", Joy said.

"Yeah, I'm sure mom would understand," Charles added.

Scully nodded.

"Girls, come on, let's work on dinner so we can get a good row at Mass!", Maggie called from the kitchen.

Scully, Tara and Jill all rose and headed for the kitchen. Scully tightened her apron and rewashed her hands and joined her female family members as they began the ritual of cooking they had every Christmas Eve. Tara and Jill chatted amongst themselves about recipes and potting training tips as Scully concentrated on chopping potatoes while her mother watched her carefully. "So, Fox called again? I thought I heard the phone ring?"

Scully smiled. "Yes, he's still in and out of it. I apparently didn't adjust his meds correctly because he's still lucid."

"Or maybe he just really wants to hear your voice," she said, opening the oven to check the pot roast.

Scully was temporarily distracted by the intoxicating smells as Maggie used as turkey baster to baste the rich Guinness flavored broth over the large beef roast lined with potatoes, onions and carrots. "That smells incredible."

"It's what my mom would have every year and what you kids looked forward too every year as well," Maggie said, as her mind wondered back. "You're father tolerated a turkey on occasion but only for when we were having large parties but when it was just the family, this was it. Christmas Eve dinner."

"Smells like home," Scully said, inhaling deeply.

"Maybe you'll make it for you and Fox," Maggie said, with a smile.

"Maybe," Scully smiled back. "I think he'd love me even more if I did."

Maggie touched her cheek. "As long as you make each other happy it really doesn't matter!"

"We will," Scully smiled.

"I have no doubt," Maggie said, looking into her daughter's eyes. "You have no idea how long I've waited for you both to realize that you love each other."

Scully blushed and then looked up into her mother's eyes. "I think we knew along time ago but we were scared. And now we aren't scared any more."

"Do they know at work?", Maggie said, closing the oven door.

"No, that wouldn't be wise," Scully sighed.

"Does his family know?," Maggie said, curiously.

"His family ," Scully sighed. "They no longer exist."

Everyone stopped what they were doing and crowded around her. "What do you mean?", Tara asked.

"Mulder's mom," Scully said, as she felt herself tearing up. "Committed suicide."

All eyes turned towards Maggie and she closed her eyes, shaking her head. "I can't even imagine," she whispered. "I could never leave you kids that way," she said, looking at Dana and her two daughter-n-law's who were like her own daughter's. "After you're father died and then Melissa, I was lost...dead inside for awhile but I still never thought about that."

Scully embraced her equally small mother and they held each other for a long moment. "How is he taking it?", Maggie said, concerned.

Scully pulled back. "In his Mulderish way," Scully smiled. "By calling me a hundred times. But, he really never had a relationship with his mother the way I do with you."

Maggie nodded but Scully could see that she was still concerned so she kept explaining.

"Besides, Mulder grew up Dutch Jewish though his mom was a practicing Protestant. His father insisted that they go to Hebrew school anyway."

"Aren't you Jewish through your mom's side?", Jill asked.

Scully nodded. "Yeah. But, he was raised Jewish and his mother would throw in a Protestant service for good measure but he considers himself to be fundamentally more Jewish so this really isn't his holiday anyway," she said, looking at her devoutly Catholic family members.

Scully eyes drifted up to the cross hanging above the kitchen doorway and then back to her family.

"Well, when you see him, give him a big hug from all of us!", Maggie sighed. "I can't imagine a mother being so selfish!"

Scully's glanced at her sister-n-laws who were nodding their agreement.

"Any brothers or sisters?", Jill asked.

"No, at the time of his mother's death we found out his sister that he'd been looking for was also long dead."

All three women stared at Scully. She could see such compassion and sympathy in their eyes. "You're all he has left," Tara stated plainly.

Scully scanned their eyes and then bowed her head for a moment, trying to compose herself before lifting her eyes back up to face them. "Yes, I am...forever!"

"I don't doubt that," Maggie smiled as she looked into the determined blue eyes of her only daughter. "Not a doubt in my mind that you were made for him and he was made for you. You were like puzzle pieces and now that you're fitted together you cannot be removed. It's for life, like you're dad and I. You couldn't have one without the other."

Scully nodded. "Thanks mom!"

Tara and Jill smiled as they all turned back to their tasks to cook their Christmas Eve feast. After the dishes were done, Scully's phone rang once more as they donned their winter coats and boots to trudge out into the late winter's night to head to St. Matthew's Catholic Church where a home-coming welcome for Father McCue would follow the Christmas Eve Mass. She locked her mother's door behind her as she dug into her coat pocket for her cellphone; a bag full of small silver cookie tins dangled from her other arm.

"Mulder? You didn't sleep long. I had a good two hours since you called me last," she said, as everyone piled into various cars.

"Am I sensing a tone, Scully?", he said, as he sipped on a cup of water. "Am I getting on your nerves?"

"No," she said, slipping into the passenger seat behind her mother and slammed the door, snicking on her seat-belt as Charles pulled off into the snowy street. "I miss you, actually."

"How much?", he said, with a smile.

"A great deal," she said, in a whisper.

Junior and Patrick were crammed next to their tiny Aunt Dana practically in her lap with their mother, Jill sandwiched next to the other door. Jill smiled to herself as she overheard their conversation.

"That doesn't sound like much," he said, trying to muffle the sounds of pain he was experiencing.

"More than I can ever say," she said and then glanced up as Charles made kissy noises as he drove.

Maggie turned her head towards her youngest son giving him _'The Look_' and he immediately stopped teasing his oldest sister.

"That sounds about the way I feel about you. Words could never express," he said, as pain shot down to his foot.

"Mulder? Did you put ice on your bandages to keep the swelling down?"

"Yeah," he lied. "I'm doing that now...But," he said, trying to change the subject. "Did you know that Michael Landon, the angel from Highway to Heaven was actually Jewish?"

Scully could hear Adam Sandler's scraggly voice belting out 'The Hanukkah Song' in the background.

"We're here!", Maggie said, stepping out of the car.

Everyone began piling out as Bill and Tara holding Matthew bundled up in their arms stood outside of Charles' car.

"I love you so much," she said, as her heart sank, listening to him wrestle uncomfortably in her bed.

"I love you too."

"We're going into Mass now, so I can't talk to you."

"Alright," he said, sadly, as he flopped his head back against the headboard and stared up at the ceiling.

"I'll call you in a few hours," she said, as Bill tapped on the car window.

"Dana, come on! It's freezing out here!"

"I've gotta go!", she said, hanging up.

She stepped out into the crisp air and followed her family up to the church steps dusting off their boots as they entered the church. They dipped their fingers into the baptismal fountain and made the sign of the cross with their right hands. They walked down the aisle and slid into the pews and knelt down at the kneeler, again making the sign of the cross and bowing their heads.

Mulder was bored. He stared at the mess next to him. He had spilled two drinks on Scully's bedspread and he knew she would kill him the minute she got back but he couldn't help it. He had been in pain. It was harder than he thought trying to take care of himself with a broken foot but he especially missed her. She was the one that he looked forward to seeing when he woke up every morning or at work, or just talking to on the phone and though she was just an hour away it felt like she was an eternity away.

As much as he had claimed that he wouldn't mind her going to her families for the holidays, it was bothering him in a way he didn't know if he could deal with. He had always secretly wished he could spend time with her at the holidays but she would often see right through his attempts and he'd spend it as a lone jogger on the streets of Alexandria in the early morning hours, jogging while other's were opening gifts with their families or heating up a turkey pot pie. **'So many years we wasted. But we weren't together then...and now...now we are,**' he thought to himself. **'And I'm still alone except with a broken foot.'**

He lay back listening to the third version of Adam Sandler's Hanukkah Song on SNL, wishing she was there with him.

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	3. Chapter 3

**Choices at Christmas**

**Part 3**

**by**

**Trycee**

**Time-Line: Alternative Universe, Season 7, Christmas Eve: Scully Residence**

**Disclaimer: I do not own the X-Files. I write this for fun, not profit.**

****Written for the Nursery Files- "First Christmas With You"-Challenge**

After Mass, everyone moved over to the church's banquet hall a few feet from the main sanctuary to celebrate Father McCue's home-coming. Charles and Bill retrieved the cookies from the car and joined their families as the women took over and added the cookie tins to the dessert tables overflowing with Christmas confections and drinks. After speeches and clapping of hands, Father McCue was blessed by another priest and the fellowship of the parishioners began with Father McCue mingling amongst them. Tara and Jill filled a small plate for their kids and husbands and sat back down chatting with other couples. Maggie was off with her circle of friends and Scully sat at a table alone, staring down at nothing in particular as she zoned out of the noise and chaos around her.

Someone broke out into an Irish Christmas carol and everyone joined in, '**Full many a bird did wake and fly...Curoo, curoo, curoo...Full many a bird did wake and fly...To the manger bed with a wandering cry... On Christmas day in the morning...Curoo, curoo, curoo...'**

Scully broke from her reverie and joined in the singing though she kept her voice barely above a whisper and when the song was over she was back staring off into space. She could feel someone sit next to her, she wasn't sure nor was she in the mood to find out until he spoke her name. "Dana," he said, sweetly.

"Father McCue," she smiled. "How are you?"

"I'm glad to see you here. It's been awhile since I saw you at St. John's but it's a nice surprise to see you here at St. Matthew's."

She smiled shyly. "I wish that I would've come to church more, Father. My work doesn't afford me the opportunity but I do frequent St. Mary's near me."

"As long as you are keeping the faith, dear."

"I am, father," she smiled, reassuringly.

"You look troubled," he said, concerned.

"I'm afraid as happy as I am to see you. My mind is on other things," she confessed.

"Your daughter?"

"Yes, actually," she sighed. "And my partner, he's home alone, hurt and I wish I could take care of him but that would mean disappointing my mother and my family."

Father McCue glanced over to Maggie who had stopped talking to her friends and was watching the interaction between Dana and the white haired priest. "I think you know what choice you need to make, Dana."

Scully looked at him hard.

"If you make a choice for the right reasons, no matter if other people understand...it _WAS_ the right choice."

Scully smiled and nodded. "Thank you, father."

"And don't pass up on all the goodies the ladies of the church brought. They're delicious!"

She smiled and glanced at the table of fattening delectables and cringed inwardly. "Bye Father," as he placed a soft hand on her shoulder and moved on to the other tables.

Scully turned and locked eyes with her mother. She stood up and Maggie waved to her. "GO!", she mouthed to her.

Scully nodded and walked toward to her mother. "Excuse me," she said, interrupting the crowd of elderly women that were gathered like groupies around Maggie Scully. Maggie hugged Scully tightly. "Tell him Merry Christmas from me and all of us, okay?"

"Okay!", Scully said, hugging her tightly, closing her eyes and sinking into her shoulder. "I love you mom."

"I love you too, Dana. But, I expect you and Fox, bad foot or not at my door the day after Christmas, eight am. sharp!"

"I'll numb his foot if I have too," Scully smiled. "Thanks mom. This is our first Christmas...", she said, trailing off and looking sadly into her mother's eyes.

"And I've had lots of Christmas's with you, Dana," Maggie said, cupping her cheek. "And I hope many, many more!"

Scully kissed her cheek and then released her mother's hand, walking towards Charles.

"Charles, I need to borrow your car."

"Dana, it's an airport rental," Charles said, looking confused. "Yours is at the house."

She reached into her purse and handed him her car keys. "Here's my car keys. I need your car. I'll return it on Friday morning, eight am sharp!"

He reached into his pocket and handed her his keys. "Wait? How are we getting home?", but she was out the door.

It was just as she had imagined. She stood in the doorway of her bedroom with a wide smile on her face. Her bedspread was full of plates and spilled cups and Mulder was laid back knocked out from the medicine oblivious to her presence. She sighed and began the work of cleaning up as best she could without waking him. She removed her sheets by rolling him to his side and tucking the sheets underneath to remove them. She then adding more sheets by repeating the same process just as she would in the hospital. She added a fresh blanket and pillows underneath his head and listened to his soft snore as she walked the linen into her laundry area past her kitchen which lead to her back door that she no longer used, not since her father's visit when her parents had come to visit at Christmas. She stuffed the linen into her washer and dryer, satisfied she poured the detergent in and then turned towards the dishes. She glanced down at herself and realized that she was still dressed for church with high heels and so she retreated back to her bedroom where Mulder still lay asleep.

She quickly changed into one of Mulder's tailored collard shirts with only her underwear underneath. The tail of his shirt reached past her knees. She then returned to fill up the sink with hot water and bubbles and wash each dish quickly before she could relax. After the last dish, she sighed loudly and then poured herself a glass of wine. She looked over her shoulder and smiled at the tree that was only slightly taller than she was. She laughed because Mulder had left his touch on her Christmas tree. She wasn't sure when he'd had the time, but it now looked like 'their' tree. Her Christmas star had disappeared and a lighted UFO was spinning at the top. She blushed because there was an ornament with a crafted couple that looked like the two of them. A small woman with red hair lay her head across the dark haired man's chest as they sat on a chair with a small Christmas tree in the background. It was so intimate and her heart swelled at the sight of it. It was obvious that he had created a customized ornament just for them. It was small enough that she could box it away and it wouldn't be seen by anyone else in the FBI if there was ever a need for it. Amongst her Christmas ornaments of Jesus and Santa Claus were Blue and silver Jewish Menorah ornaments. She stood back and admired the tree. It was the blending of the two of them, in a such a profound way.

Scully slid into bed with him, listening to his shallow breathing. She laid her head on his chest and listened to the shift in his breathing from her touch. She could feel his arm tighten around her almost instinctively and she smiled against him. His eyes slowly fluttered open and he focused and looked surprised. "Scully?"

"Yeah?", she said, snuggling in closer and inhaling him.

"Am I dreaming?", he said, squeezing her tighter.

She lifted her head and smiled up at him. "No, I'm here. We get to spend all of Christmas together, Mulder."

He shook his head then. "I don't understand?"

She sat up then and smiled at him. "I chose you!"

A wide crooked smile spread across his face and he leaned down and pressed his lips to hers. She leaned up to deepen the kiss. They broke the kiss to breath. Mulder's smile quickly turned to a wince and Scully jumped up and opened her closet and pulled out her '**Mulder Medical Kit**' and she donned a bottle of Lidocaine. She inserted the needle and then withdrew it from the liquid and tapped at the needle to get rid of the air bubbles. She then grabbed an alcohol swab and then rounded Mulder's side of the bed. He looked horrified but she bent down and kissed him and he relaxed. She cleaned a spot under his knee with the swab and then injected the Lidocaine. He hissed and she held his hand until the Lidocaine circulated through to his foot and numbed him. She waited for him to feel the effects and he began to smile. She leaned back down and kissed him again and then cleaned up and crawled back into bed next to the warmth of his skin.

"I can't feel it at all."

"I'm glad," she smiled, as he pulled her tighter against him.

Scully laid her head back down on his chest, listening to his heart and breath until she closed her eyes and slipped off to sleep. Mulder laid awake smoothing his hand over her small cheek. His eyes widened as her chest rose and fell and she purred against him, her leg crossing over his and her arm draping even more over his mid-rift until she was practically on top of him. He sighed nearly in time with her breath and layered kisses on her forehead and nose. He reached over onto the night stand and flicked off the SNL Christmas Eve marathon casting the room in shadows. Morning would soon come and he had his wish. He'd awaken in the arms of his soul-mate and that was all the gift he really needed. He closed his eyes and fell back fast to sleep.

"Scully?", he whispered in her ear.

She stirred against his chest. It wasn't the romantic way he had envisioned waking her at Christmas but his foot was throbbing again and he knew she would understand. "Scully?"

"Hmm?", she said, sleepily.

"My foot!", he said, grimacing.

She shot up into the air and it took her a moment to realize that she was at home in her own bed with Mulder. She shifted in the bed so she could see his foot and then nodded. "Oh, okay...", and rose and retrieved her, '_Mulder Medical Kit'. _She injected him once again and after the hissing he relaxed and then his eyes opened. "Merry Christmas, Scully!"

She smiled at him so warmly he thought his chest might burst but for Scully, she knew that he had wanted to say those words to her for a very long time. She pressed her lips to his and it quickly turned into a deepened kiss. "Mulder," she pulled away. "We have morning breath," she said, with a smile.

"Morning breath, toothless...I don't care, you will always be the most gorgeous woman in the world to me, Scully," he said, as his eyes wandered from head to toe as she stood in front of him in his shirt.

She blushed a bright red and twisted slightly like a schoolgirl and Mulder was proud of himself for reducing her to such emotions.

"Oh, Scully...there's presents under the tree!", he said, grabbing for his crutches.

She helped him reach them and followed behind him as he went through the door that lead from her bedroom to her bathroom for a pit stop and then out through the bathroom to the side door. He hopped down the hallway as Scully helped brace him as they continued on until they were by the tree. "Mulder, it's beautiful, "she sighed. "How did you do it? You're foot is been broken for days..."

He waved his hand. "I was going to surprise you. Besides, I stashed it here when I came over one of those times...," he said, winking. "You know..."

She blushed again and then placed a kiss on his lips. "Sit down!", she said, pointing towards the loveseat but not before she shifted it so it was facing the Christmas tree. She helped him down and then sat on the floor so she could play Santa. "I've always wondered what a Christmas with you would be like," she sighed, lost in thought. "I can't believe we're getting to find out," she said, lifting her head and locking eyes with him.

"We have a lifetime more of memories to make, Scully. We're going to grow old together. I believe that."

She reached out her hand and slid it into his. "I know that in my heart too," she said, staring into his eyes. "Well now, lets open those gifts!"

She handed him the gift that she had been the most exciting to give him. She clasped her hands over her mouth nervously as she watched him tear into it. He opened the package to reveal a box. "What is it, Scully?", he said.

"Just keep going!", she said, trying hard not to open it herself.

Pieces of wrapping paper and cardboard box landed on her floor to her dismay but she tamped those feelings down. Mulder slid the silken garment out and smiled a goofy smile. "Why, is there something you wanna tell me here, Scully?", he said, chuckling. "I think these are a little small?"

She rolled her eyes. "I thought you're gift would be to see these on me!", she said, pointing to a replica of his black silk boxer shorts, the ones that she loved only sized perfectly to fit tightly on her petite frame.

Mulder licked his lips. "OH, that's certainly a gift for me!", he said, wagging his eyebrows.

Scully giggled and then sat up on her knees and then leaned in for a kiss. "You like them?"

"I'll be happier when I see you in them! After-all, I love it when you wear my clothes," he said, gripping a tight fistful of his shirt, crushing her to him.

"Down boy!", she laughed, as he released her.

"I want you to open one of mine, Scully!"

She reached under the tree and found a perfectly wrapped gift that she knew he'd had professionally wrapped. She carefully unwrapped it and she could tell that Mulder was losing patience but that was part of the fun, aggravating him. She smiled and winked at him just as she thought his head might explode with her careful unwrapping and then she laid the wrapping paper on the side.

"Scully! Before we forget what Christmas is!"

Satisfied, she finally tore into the box and was surprised that a beautifully decorated picture frame lay in it. "Oh Mulder...it's beautiful."

"I don't want you to use it now," he said.

She turned towards him. "Why?"

"Because we can't. Because we have to hide our relationship from _Them. _This is for when we don't have too!"

She stared at the frame for the longest moment. "That seems so far away," she said sadly.

"It's not," he said, reaching down to touch her shoulder.

She relaxed against the weight of his hand. "You and I won't always be FBI agents, Scully."

She turned to look at him. "We won't?"

He shook his head. "No. Eventually, we will leave the X-Files behind and start our private lives openly. So, hold on to that, okay. I want our wedding photo or at least us posing behind an alien body to go in that."

She smiled at him and then ran her fingers over the ceramic flowerettes with a pearl in the center. "It's beautiful."

"A beautiful gift for a beautiful woman," he said.

She carefully placed it back in the package but Mulder noted that she kept staring back at it and he was pleased. She handed him another gift and she grabbed one for herself from Mulder. They opened the rest of the gifts quickly, laughing as they went. She stared at the various gifts Mulder had given her. To her surprise he'd given her very meaningful gifts. He'd given her a new sexier bathrobe, a beautiful frame, a few overly romantic dvd's she knew were meant for them to watch together, a few jars of Shea butter lotions that were pricey that she knew were meant for him to apply on her delicate skin. There was even a basket full of natural lotions, nail supplies and a vibrating neck massager she knew was meant for him to use to wrestle the pain from her sore muscles after they got off work. All of his gifts were all a big date night package and she loved it. "I can't wait for us to enjoy these, Mulder."

He smiled as she waded over to him through the mess on the floor on her knees and reached up and kissed him. "I'm glad you like it," he said, proud of himself.

"I love it," she smiled. "Are you happy with you're gifts?"

"I couldn't be happier!", he said, with a sparkle in his eye.

She had given him an old monster movies dvd collection with Frankenstein, Dracula, The Mummy, The Thing, The IT and every other type of despicable black n white creature for hours of bliss. Besides the fitted boxer shorts for 'her' to wear for him, she'd given him a sunflower seed dispenser for his desk at work for 'no more messes' as she'd told him, a UFO mug he could use at either home or work, and something that she knew wouldn't look from the outside observer like a 'couples gift' but something that she knew Mulder would immediately know the meaning of. It was from artist Cathy Broski; a stone carved hand with a red ceramic heart in the center. It said it all. She stared at Mulder and he held the sculpture in his hand as tears trailed the contours of his cheek.

"I want you to put this on you're coffee table and when you see it, you'll know that I love you," Scully said. "And no matter where I am, you are my soul, my one and only, and the only man for me, Mulder."

He pulled her up off the floor into his arms and held her close to his cheek for a long time. "I love you so much...Scully, Merry Christmas!"

"Merry Christmas, Mulder," she said, pulling back to look into his eyes.

She pressed her forehead to his and she could feel the love flowing between them. There was nothing like it on earth and there was no other place she'd rather be than spending Christmas in the arms of this man. "Are you hungry? In pain? Do you need anything?", she said concerned.

"No," he said, staring into her eyes. "Everything I need I have right here in my arms, Scully. I have you."

There lips came together and soon their tongues mingled and they pulled apart and stared deeply into each others eyes. "This is our first Christmas together, Mulder," she smiled. "And this is the best Christmas I've ever had."

He squeezed her waist and gripped her tightly. Mulder thought back to his childhood, to the exciting eight days of gifts and food during Hanukkah that ended with his mother's Protestant Church services on Christmas morning. They'd return to find a fresh Christmas tree fully decorated and full of gifts that he now realized must have been put up by a crew his parents paid to give them both holidays. He thought back to the year that Samantha was taken and how his mother spent the holidays in her bedroom crying and he had spent it staring out the window. There'd be no Hanukkah and no Christmas from that day on and all the Christmas' as an adult he spent alone before and after Scully as she went off with her family. He had never felt more lonely in his life than at those times wondering what she was doing and if she was thinking of him. And now, she was in his arms and he felt like he was experiencing Christmas for the very first time in his life.

"Scully, this is the best Christmas I've had!," he said, as tears streamed down his cheeks. "The Best Christmas of my life!"

She smiled and they kissed. She glanced up. "OH, Mulder, Look!", she said, pointing towards the window where snow was falling.

There was a sudden bright light streak across the sky and for a moment she was in shock as she sat on his lap, watching as the bright light in the shape of a UFO darted across it, ducking behind a building. Scully's eyes were as big as saucers as Mulder smirked. Scully knew that she had seen the UFO. There was no denying it. Mulder turned towards her and pat soft kisses onto her cheek until her shock wore off. She turned her body into him and pressed her soft ruby lips to his."Here's another gift, Mulder. Yes, I saw it! So, wipe that smirk off your face!"

He chuckled and they held each-other close watching the snowfall.

**THE END**


End file.
